A Year without the Trio
by Horcruxgirl
Summary: If you have enjoyed this story, i am now moving to Sorry for the inconvenience.
1. Chapter 1 An Unpleasant Surprise

Chapter 1- An Unpleasant Surprise

A young woman with bushy, brown hair and a rather large book in her hand looked nervously around Platform 9 ¾. Hermione was very excited about attending her 7th year at Hogwarts, but she knew it would be little like the past six years she had spent there. What bothered her most was that she would have to get used to the teaching styles of two new professors. Professor McGonigal's ads had been in the Daily Prophet half the summer offering a job to anybody who was willing to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts or Muggle Studies. As a result of what had happened to the last two teachers who had taught those classes, few people were eager to take the job.

Harry and Ron were not helping her already grumpy mood. They hadn't met her by the train on time, and now Hermione doubted if they would actually make it on the train at all. She looked at her watch for the tenth time in the past 15 minutes. At this rate she would have to get on the train without them, which she hadn't had to do since her 1st year at Hogwarts.

A moment later, Ron, Harry, and a pink and breathless Ginny appeared in front of her.

"Never! Never again in my whole life will I ever do that again," Ginny gasped.

"Oh come on Ginny," said Ron, "side-along apparation can't be that bad."

"It is, and if you guys ever convince me to do it again, let me be struck by lightning," she said looking quite shaken up. She was bending over slightly and her breath was coming in gasps, "Now, hurry up before the train leaves. Oh hey Hermione. Hermione?!"

Ginny nearly tripped in shock. Hermione's face was redder than Ron's ear's had ever been, and her hair was sticking out in odd angles. It seemed that all the stress was having an unnatural effect with her hair. She was frowning now, and she was tapping her foot impatiently.

"It's about time," she yelled, "Where have you been? A minute more and I would have had to get on the train without you!"

"Well," said Ron, "it's a rather funny story, really. You see Harry and ---"

"Oh never mind," said a still upset Hermione, "Come on now, or the train will leave us all. Wait a moment," said Hermione in an exasperated tone, "Harry, Ron, where are your bags?"

Earlier that morning, Hermione had seen Mrs. Weasley drop off Ginny's cart at the station. She had said nothing about Harry or Ron, though she did seem a little unnerved by something, too. Ginny immediately started pushing her stuff to the train.

"See you on the train Hermione!" she said, and walked off hurriedly without a backwards glance.

Hermione did not pay much attention though because Harry had turned quite pale very quickly, and Ron on the other hand had turned a little pink.

"Guys," said Hermione. It was unlike them to try hide stuff from her let alone accomplish it.

Harry was the first one to step up. "Hermione, Ron and I have decided to not to finish are years at Hogwarts."

Ron turned an even deeper shade of red. Hermione was quite perplexed as to why they would ever do such a thing, but she knew they would never joke about something like this. Did they really think she could survive school without them?

Harry, who seemed to have read Hermione's thoughts continued, "Sorry Hermione, but Ron needs to help George and work at the joke shop, and the Ministry still needs me to help them pick up the mess that Voldemort left behind. It's only been a few months, and we know that they are never that good at doing stuff on their own. We want to, Hermione but we've got to think of the greater good."

Hermione hated it when he used Dumbledore's words against her.

Ron stepped forward slowly and he seemed to be trembling, "We're staying Hermione," was all he could get himself to say. Hermione was glaring at him fixedly, and after the day he had found Hermione and Harry again, he wasn't too keen on getting on her bad side again.

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to come with you. You couldn't have thought that you could make me go to Hogwarts alone," said Hermione. She was getting desperate now and she was loosing the battle.

"You have to stay. You know that you would never forgive yourself if you didn't," said Harry. He seemed to be a little uncomfortable too.

Hermione sighed in a defeated sort of way. The ministry had not asked her to be an auror, and she definitely wasn't interested in going into the family business. She didn't really have much of a choice.

"Alright," she mumbled.

Harry hugged her quickly before Ron came over and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Don't worry," he said, "everything will be fine."

It was a shame really. Hermione and Ron had gotten so close over the summer after they had revealed their feelings. Now all that time was going to go to waste.

Hermione picked up her stuff, and faked a little smile.

"Don't forget write," she said. Then quickly she ran to the train before they could see the tears brewing in her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2- The Forgotten Meeting

Hermione climbed onto the train just as the tears began to fall. She had a feeling that some of the students were staring at her, but she didn't feel much like explaining herself. For a moment Hermione considered running to the nearest window to wave goodbye, but she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to stop once she had started. The anger she had felt earlier was now being replaced by a growing empty feeling inside of her. Without Harry and Ron by her side, Hermione felt like she was nothing at all. As she trudged down the long corridor looking for someone she knew, Hermione tried to think of something that would comfort her. A few years back Hermione had read a book that said that it was unhealthy to feel this sad, but that didn't help her mood at all. She had always known that one day everyone would have to go their separate ways, but she had never predicted that day would come so soon.

A few doors down Hermione came upon a room with only a few people in it. Neville Longbottom was sitting hunched over reading through this year's Herbology book for what Hermione was sure was the hundredth time. Ginny Weasley who seemed to have calmed down a bit was now staring into a dark corner. Hermione realized that she was probably going through a really hard time too. Hermione nearly looked over Luna Lovegood who was silently flipping through the latest edition of the Quibbler. Everyone but Luna looked up when Hermione came in.

"Did they tell you," asked Ginny sadly. She looked as if she had been crying earlier.

Hermione nodded silently. She didn't feel much like speaking, and she doubted if she even could.

"I'm really sorry, Hermione," said Neville getting up to help Hermione put her stuff on the rack, "I just found out this morning, but I thought Harry and Ron would have told you already."

Hermione only shrugged, and stared out the window. The heavy silence that followed only stopped when the candy cart passed by. Hermione decided to get some of Bott's Every Flavor Beans hoping they would succeed in keeping her weary mind off her two closest friends.

Not five minutes later there was a loud knock on the door. Hermione was about to answer it when Denis Creevey came bursting into the room looking quite distressed.

"Denis, are you alright," asked Neville looking concerned. No one had expected him to come back to Hogwarts after the tragic death of his older brother Colin. Denis shuffled slightly as he tried to catch his breath, and looked up. Once he saw Hermione he took a breath of relief and looked rather proud of himself. Hermione, however, was quite baffled.

"Hermione! Great, I finally found you. Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you," said Colin all in one breathe.

Hermione was still quite lost, and that happened very rarely. "I got on the train late," she answered, "but I've been in here the rest of the time. Why?"

You were supposed to be at the Prefect's meeting half an hour ago. We thought you had missed the train," said Denis.

Hermione was shocked at her own stupidity. With all the drama she had completely forgotten about the meeting. Hermione quickly got up and followed Colin out the room. Because she was too old to be a prefect, the faculty had chosen her to be Head Girl. She had received the badge with her list of school supplies, although they had conveniently left out the identity of the Head Boy. Now she was about to miss the meeting she was supposed to be conducting with him. Hermione hoped whoever he was at least had the courtesy to wait for her before starting the meeting.

At the front of the train Hermione halted to catch her breathe. Denis nearly ran into her. In vain she tried to fix her hair; she had hoped to make a good first impression on everyone. Giving up Hermione held her head up high and entered the compartment.

After taking a moment to let her eyes adjust to the bright light, Hermione looked around the room. There in the very center stood a tall, pale boy with platinum blonde hair and deep grey eyes. It was Draco Malfoy.


End file.
